Firefighters issue hot weather warning

Local people are being warned that Dorset and Wiltshire face exceptionally difficult wildfire conditions this weekend, due to the continued hot and dry weather.

Since Wednesday (8 July), Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) has seen a number of fires involving large areas of land, fields, and heath. Fires during increasingly dry spells can be extremely difficult to extinguish and have a lasting impact on the environment and wildlife around them.

Group Manager Matthew Skyme said: “With the third heatwave this year currently being experienced, I’m urging the public to take extra care to help avoid and prevent fires, especially during these challenging conditions. We appreciate that many people will want to enjoy the nice weather with friends and family, but it’s vital they consider the potential impacts that this hot weather can bring to everyday activities.”

DWFRS has these safety tips:

• Avoid having barbecues or campfires (especially on heathland or in open spaces). If you do, douse any coals/fire pits with water and don’t dispose of remnants until you’re sure they’re cold.
• Extinguish smoking materials properly, and don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows – take your litter home.
• If you see a fire in the countryside, get to a safe place and call 999 to report it immediately to the Fire & Rescue Service. Use What3Words to provide an accurate location and give as much detail as possible.
• Please don’t have a bonfire at home during these high-risk conditions.
• If you’re at the beach, don’t set off flares, have campfires, or light barbecues as these can easily lead to gorse and foliage on the cliffs catching fire.

Matthew said: “I’d also like to remind farmers and agricultural workers of the steps they can take to prevent a fire occurring while they work. On just one day this week, we attended four significant field fires across Dorset and Wiltshire.

“At this time of year, farmers are working long, hard hours and farm and field fires are also a big risk. It’s easy to let chaff and dust build up in the machines, which can then catch fire if any parts then overheat. The problem can be compounded when machinery is worked extra hard during hot weather, or when crops are harvested and stored in less-than-ideal conditions. There's also the risk of field fires, often caused when flint is caught and sparked.”

DWFRS have put together a safety checklist for farmers:

• Regularly clean out dust and chaff from hot spots in combines and balers.
• Switch off engines and ensure moving parts have stopped before clearing blockages or carrying out maintenance.
• Always stop to investigate hot-running engines or bearings.
• Put in place a system for keeping in contact with lone workers.
• Keep mobile phones on your person – not left in a tractor or pick-up cab.
• Know where you are (What3Words is great for this) and the best access points for your location.
• Make sure that drivers are aware of the locations and heights of power lines and check that machines will safely pass under wires.
• Make sure there are fire extinguishers on all vehicles, so they are readily accessible – and keep them regularly maintained.
• Clean dust regularly from grain dryers – and ensure that all staff running the drier are fully trained and know what to do if fire breaks out.
• Make sure ladders and platforms used for maintenance are in good condition and a safe system of work is in operation.

If you see any suspicious fire setting behaviour in progress, call 999 and ask for the Police. You can also report anything anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Further information relating to outdoor safety can be found on our website www.dwfire.org.uk/safety/safety-outdoors.